There may be some relief coming to the backlog of cases in the Emergency Department at Saugeen Memorial Hospital in Southampton.
Acting Chief of Staff and Chief of Emergency, Doctor Ralph Suke, informed Grey Bruce Health Services board of directors a physician assistant has been hired.
Suke says it’s a first for the Southampton facility.
He says a physician assistant is a health care practitioner who has special training to carry out some of the procedure functions a physician might carry out, such as casting, suturing and draining abscesses but under the auspices of the attending physician.
Suke says it’s hoped the physician assistant can improve the patient flow in emergency and take some of the stress off the department doctor.
It’s expected the new physician assistant will begin duties this coming February.
Suke says the applicant was a practicing doctor in India before coming to Canada.
Although it’s a first for Southampton, a similar position has been in effect for the past couple of years in the Durham Hospital of the South Bruce Grey Health Services cluster.
Suke also says they could use another full time physician in the ER in Southampton.
He says Health Force Ontario continues to take up 40 per cent of the caseload and will continue to do so until next March after which the program will be reviewed.
